How to create a custom paintjob (very detailed)

[burosky]

Here's more details:

[paulorenzo]

i'm loving the typeface you used for RADICAL PRO. it fits the word "radical" very nicely. great looking stick man! I was interested in using rubberized paint on racquets as well. i bet that thing swings like a club now.

[blackfrido]

My custom paint job on an old Fischer M-Speep n1. New Pacific grommets and new grip.

[burosky]

Originally Posted by paulorenzo

i'm loving the typeface you used for RADICAL PRO. it fits the word "radical" very nicely. great looking stick man! I was interested in using rubberized paint on racquets as well. i bet that thing swings like a club now.

You guessed it right. It is quite heavy. The rubberized paint didn't work as I expected. It didn't harden as I hoped. If you try it, I'd be interested in knowing your experience.

[blackfrido]

Originally Posted by burosky

You guessed it right. It is quite heavy. The rubberized paint didn't work as I expected. It didn't harden as I hoped. If you try it, I'd be interested in knowing your experience.

what paint do you think works better? I did mine (posted previously, blue fischer) but I think is going to chip easily........

[burosky]

I think no matter what paint you use, unless you can let it cure under a heat lamp, the paint will not be the same as the original paint job. That red Radical I recently did took so long because after each coat (I did about 6) I literally left the racket under the sun in my backyard for at least a day hoping that will be enough to let the paint cure. It didn't. Although the paint was dry to the touch it still didn't harden. Perhaps those who have experience painting cars can let us in on the secret.

[blackfrido]

Originally Posted by burosky

I think no matter what paint you use, unless you can let it cure under a heat lamp, the paint will not be the same as the original paint job. That red Radical I recently did took so long because after each coat (I did about 6) I literally left the racket under the sun in my backyard for at least a day hoping that will be enough to let the paint cure. It didn't. Although the paint was dry to the touch it still didn't harden. Perhaps those who have experience painting cars can let us in on the secret.

thanks for the response

[LEEMCMAHON]

My first attempt!!


I like the color but im not too happy with the overall result however this was a learning curve

http://s1340.beta.photobucket.com/us...tml?sort=3&o=2


http://s1340.beta.photobucket.com/us...tml?sort=3&o=3



http://s1340.beta.photobucket.com/us...tml?sort=3&o=4

[burosky]

Wondering if anyone has tried Duracoat. This is supposed to be a resin instead of paint. It is also used for painting pistols and rifles so it should be durable enough to resist chipping. I plan on ordering a kit from Lauerweaponry . com for my next paint job. They have quite a selection for colors and their kits include everything to get started. The only thing is they are meant to be used on guns so I would probably need more "paint" to do a racket. On the good side, multiple coatings are probably not necessary. If anyone has any experience with Duracoat, please share your experience.

[Tamiya]

Originally Posted by burosky

Perhaps those who have experience painting cars can let us in on the secret.

modern cars are usually painted in "2-pack" aka "plastic" paint

this is a 2-part paint that cures rockhard... its like mixing 5-min epoxy glue,
the tinted/thinned paint when ready is mixed with its matching activator
and then your stopwatch starts - you've gotta get the paint sprayed
or it'll setup rockhard in your gun

cars are painted in a paintbooth to control dust, humidity & temperature.
Many are heated if ambient temperature is too low, warmth also helps
paint to "flow" so you get a pretty smooth finish right off the gun.

however 2-pack is POISONOUS so painters need a full mask with air supply;
hence you won't find much non-pro painters getting access to 2-pack


olden days cars were painted with lacquer, this just "dries" when its solvent
evaporates leaving behind the solid (=filler+tint) material. Good old lacquers
aren't sold these days due to VOC restrictions; modern acrylic lacquers
are waterbased and imho just don't work as well... eg stay soft, craters etc



what hasn't been mentioned is Powder Coating

this is a plasticky paint in solid powder form; your item is statically charged
and the paint is charged with the opposite so its sprinkled on & sticks to it.
Then its baked in oven where the powder melts together to a solid surface.

Powder coating is used on motorcycle frames, machinery etc.
It sticks pretty well to most surfaces (that can survive the heat)
and is very hardwearing & resistant to abrasion.

[bcart1991]

Bad thing is, you can't really powdercoat carbon. The carbon won't take the electric charge, and the oven temps for curing are so high that it will damage the carbon integrity.

[The Meat]

Here's what I'm attempting to paint on my old Prokennex racquets. Opinions? (going to take away the PK letters and insert a prokennex symbol)

[scotus]

Originally Posted by blackfrido

My custom paint job on an old Fischer M-Speep n1. New Pacific grommets and new grip.

Nice. You went all Baghy on that one.

[ChicagoJack]

Hi Folks -

I have a question about the selection and application of clear lacquers. I'm not doing a re-paint project, I would just like to try applying a clear coat right over the top of my stock Donnay Pro One frames. The placement of the metal foil lettering on the outside of the hoop at 3:00 and 9:00 makes them somewhat prone to chipping. I'm also picturing in my minds eye that adding glossy finish overall might be a nice touch to the very minimalist design and the existing semi matte black paint.

I've gone to a hobby store and picked up a selection of five slightly different products. If anybody has any experience with these lacquers, reccos for something that would work better, or any tips all about the process, I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks!

-Jack

[Overdrive]

Originally Posted by LEEMCMAHON

My first attempt!!


I like the color but im not too happy with the overall result however this was a learning curve

http://s1340.beta.photobucket.com/us...tml?sort=3&o=2


http://s1340.beta.photobucket.com/us...tml?sort=3&o=3



http://s1340.beta.photobucket.com/us...tml?sort=3&o=4

In this link, there's a topless photo of a woman...

[Don't Let It Bounce]

Originally Posted by Overdrive

In this link, there's a topless photo of a woman...

She's not topless. That's an acrylic clear coat she's wearing.

Besides, Lee did warn us that there were learning curves.

ChiJack, if your newly glossy Pro Ones show up as such in a photo, I'll hope you'll post one.

[Overdrive]

Originally Posted by Don't Let It Bounce

She's not topless. That's an acrylic clear coat she's wearing.

Besides, Lee did warn us that there were learning curves.

ChiJack, if your newly glossy Pro Ones show up as such in a photo, I'll hope you'll post one.

I'm not visually impaired, I know what I saw...

Mr.Lee is the Hefner of TT...

It would be cool to get a BB racquet in 7.0-7.5 condition and paint it in a very bright-blinding color to disorient my opponent..